The newest addition to West Hollywood’s bar scene is a beer centric wonder.  The Surly Goat offers a selection of 27 beers on tap which will rotate to make every trip a new adventure.

The atmosphere is more of a stark modernity than your typical beer pub, but the place is comfortable and the people seem friendly and ready to taste beer.  The place is still only a couple of months old, so when I was there the not all the staff was completely knowledgeable about every beer they had, but I am sure that will work itself out.

They did not have any flights or tastings either but maybe they will add that soon.  On my next visit I am looking forward to trying Barrel Aged Sea Monster Stout, and something simply called Honesty.  Check the website to see what they have on tap at any particular moment.

They also will periodically be holding beer related special events.  March 20th, will be your chance to try the insane sounding 32% Tactical Nuclear Penguin. Where else in town can you get your hands on something like that?

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WHAT: New spot with hard to find beer
WHEN: Daily until 2am
WHERE: The Surly Goat
$$$: A pint will cost you somewhere between $5 and $10

Echo Park’s Tavin vintage and consignment store is hosting the second of their Little Birds reading series – appropriately titled Little Birds #2 – tomorrow night at 7 p.m.

Readings will include pieces by artist and actress Grace Zabriskie (of Big Love fame), author and filmmaker Jessica Hundley (who’ll be presenting slides from her book about Dennis Hopper – which sounds totally awesome if you ask me… which you obviously did because we’re basically best friends), and a special appearance by Pamela Des Barres (author of I’m with the Band). Not only will you be treated to some refined culture, but there’ll be wine as well, provided by Bear Flag. It should be an awesome evening and an equally awesome start to the weekend, but the reading starts promptly at 7:30, so don’t be late!

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WHAT: Little Birds #2
WHEN: Friday, March 12th @ 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
WHERE: Tavin Boutique
$$$: Free

As if you need another reason to trek over to Highland Park’s bat-obsessed Little Cave – a place that looks like something Jack Skellington might own if he grew up in East LA and became a nightlife entrepreneur — Thursday nights are now all about Rehab and Free Tacos. (The “Rehab” part means absolutely zip, aside from a jab at the clientele’s predilection for liquid excess.)

For all the talk about the “diversity” of LA after hours, Rehab is the real deal — the crowd is a merry mixture of Salvadorian goths, glam-punk Asians, Dominican hipsters with “Boondocks” afros, and at least three nerdy white dudes who seem to frequent the same hoody shop. (Four if you count me.) DJ JesC keeps the sounds as far-ranging as the sights, with Love and Rockets and MGMT rubbing elbows with George Clinton and Ice Cube.

And the tacos?  You get what you pay for, but they’re still a damn sight better than the lukewarm sadness they serve up over at The Gold Room. To the batcave!

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WHAT: Eclectic weekly shindig (with gratis carne asada)
WHEN: Thursdays, 9 PM – 2 AM
WHERE: Little Cave
$$$: $5 for a pint of Shock Top

Driving through the Cypress Park neighborhood on the east side of Los Angeles, you might drive right by this week’s Bored & Thirsty location. Footsies is an unassuming bar situated on the south side of Figueroa, near the intersection of the 110 and the 5. A gray wall, a couple neon signs and two cowboy-style swinging doors tucked in an entry alcove are all you’d see, but step inside and you’re likely to be pleasantly surprised.

Dimly lit with high wooden ceilings and red velvet accents, dark leather upholstery and a bar that stretches most of the length of the interior, Footsies is what you might imagine a bar would look like if you’d never been inside one. It’s quintessential – four or five beers on tap (including Chimay – a personal favorite), a well-stocked backbar and a bevy of regulars (“Hey, Al, how ya doin’ tonight?” and “The usual?” were both overheard during my time there) make it clear that this place has a reputation for serious boozing and serious client loyalty.

Footsies has all the components of a your new favorite bar – a pool table, a smoking patio and – according to Roommate Dan/DJ Shoebox – a jukebox loaded with tunes that’ll satisfy even the most hardened hipster. It might look like a dive bar, but in reality, it’s a well-kept, highly stylized lounge that works hard at creating a comfortable atmosphere. Footsies also boasts resident DJs playing most nights of the week, except for Sunday and Monday, so if you’re in the neighborhood and looking to unwind – in fact, even if you’re not – give Footsies a visit.

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WHAT: An east-side bar with citywide appeal
WHEN: Nightly until 2
WHERE: 2640 N Figueroa Street, 90065
$$$: About $7 for drinks.

Anyone looking for a giant dose of Korean fucked-upedness, check out the Downtown Independent Theater on March 10th for their screening of OLDBOY.

Chan-wook Park’s 2003 thriller tells the story of a man locked away in a secret prison for reasons unexplained, only to be mysteriously set free after 15 years, at which point he sets out to politely request some answers.  Or, y’know, yank out some bad dude’s teeth.  Or, in the film’s most famous set-piece, take on an entire hallway full of ruffians armed only with his fists, a hammer, and the kind of volcanic fury I usually feel when Glenn Beck speaks.  This is a revenge saga that goes so far over the top it practically doubles back onto itself like some kind of demented Mobius strip.  (In the first thirty minutes, the main character eats an actual live octopus on camera — and that’s only an, er, appetizer for what comes later.)

The film is being screened as part of the Downtown Independent’s “Enter The Tuesday” series, offering up weekly martial arts masterpieces from all over the planet and free unlimited PBR, which will assuredly make some of OLDBOY’s more ludicrous plot twists go down easier.

To recap: horrifying violence, main guy eats live octopus, free Pabst.  Bring your momma.

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WHAT: OLDBOY screening
WHEN: Tuesday, March 10th, 10 pm
WHERE: Downtown Independent
$$$: $10

So, as a foodie and locavore and all (I try my best), I’m psyched about the potential of the upcoming Yamashiro Garden Market. Essentially, it’s an evening farmer’s market and “outdoor dining experience” at a historic landmark atop Sycamore Avenue in Hollywood with amazing views of the city. You’ll be able to buy the best local produce from the likes of Apple Sherrill Orchards, Tutti Frutti Farms, hydroponically grown Japanese vegetables, in addition to other goodies like Bulgarini Gelato, Cobbler Mania, BreadMan, J & P Westcoast Seafood, crepes, organic cheeses and more. Then a grill station will be set up for chef’s to provide al fresco market cooking, with items between $4 and $8, and the Pagoda Bar will serve wine, cocktails, and a corkage fee for you to bring your own booze. Sounds cool, right? There will also be live jazz. It takes place every Thursday from 5pm-9pm, starting tomorrow! So this is like one of my dreams for the city (SF has an underground nighttime farmer’s market), but something tells me it will be disappointing. Maybe because they have $2 valet? The farmer’s market should not be a bourgeois affair. Anyway, check it out and let me know how it goes! Worst case scenario: an evening farmer’s market, which is pretty fine by me.

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WHAT: Yamashiro Garden Market
WHEN: Thursdays 5pm-9pm
WHERE: Yamashiro Restaurant 1999 Sycamore Ave., Hollywood 90068
$$$: $2 valet with market validation; assume cash only

UPDATE: Check out pictures from the first week!

The new Lomography Gallery isn’t slacking off when it comes to partying, and what better excuse to have a party than the Oscars? Swing by the gallery before Sunday and fill out your own Oscar ballot in hopes to be on of the 10 people who get the most winners correct. You’ll walk away with your own Oktomat camera that takes 8 pictures in a row to create your own little 8 frame movie. Then on the 7th, head to the gallery at 1pm and take part in a mini-movie making workshop using the Oktomat, Supersampler, and Actionsampler and make a purchase at the store and get a free Lomography Camera Keychain. This will all lead into the Oscars telecast where hopefully you’ll win the contest! The gallery will be serving drinks and don’t worry, they’ve got a lounge for you to sit in and watch in comfort. There will naturally be an after party, with more drinks, a lomography movie screening “Lomo Matrix”, and awards for the Oscar ballot winners! This gallery is quickly turning into my new favorite place!
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WHAT: Oscar Night + workshop and party
WHEN: Sunday, March 7th @ 1PM-post Oscars
WHERE: Lomography Gallery
$$$: Free

Your weekend has officially begun.

Celebrate the end of a shark-infested workweek and pet a few live ones at the resurrected Shark Lagoon Nights.  Find an excuse to sneak out of work or revel in your freelance-society bliss because this one gets started early (6-9pm) and is located at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.

A little bit of a journey for you Angelenos, but definitely worth the trek!  For FREE you can get up close and personal with bamboo sharks and sand tiger sharks, among other sea giants.  Liquid courage is available in the form of various wines and beer (for those feeling a little faint of heart) as well as coffee treats and sugar snacks for a different type of happy hour.  Rotating bands and dj’s perform, according to the night, but be sure to check their calendar before heading to this outdoor escape, just in case the rain STILL hasn’t migrated its way back to Seattle.

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WHAT: Shark Lagoon Nights
WHEN: Most Fridays, 6pm-9pm, starting March 5th
WHERE: Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach
$$$: FREE!

Break out your leopard print, top hats, and faux fur for this one because Friday night is all about the vixens and vamps at the downtown Venus in Furs & Femme Fatale party.  This Muzezon, Inc. journey, taking you back a few decades, will feature a runway show with hair and makeup by Hairroin Salon, body art by No.YTK, and live femme fatale models strutting their stuff to the best indie/electro beats by dj’s: Notorious Jen and Henry Strange.  Featured artwork includes: Pingping paintings, (pop-anime girly art), and Michelle Hinch photography, (recent contributor to Marie Claire: Tokyo), amongst other modern-day-heroine presentations.  Don’t miss the chance to take part in this Velvet Underground-inspired charade!  Donations are accepted at the door (CASH only!) in support of Haiti relief efforts, libations will be flowing, and there is a $5 secure parking lot from which a complimentary shuttle will escort you to all the fatale fun.

Calling all you jazz cats, and zoot-suit-wearing hipsters.  Saturday, we celebrate the yin to the femme fatale’s yang at the: Ode to the Lounge Lizard-A Cocktail Napkin Art Invitational.  Hosted by the E3rd Lounge in the heart of the downtown LA Arts District, this is second in the monthly Jerico Woggon-presented event series.  $10 gets you in the door, $5 with a shared recession tale (awesome = getting a discount to vent), and FREE admission will be granted to anyone brave enough to show up in an actual lizard costume (pictures, please!).  If this isn’t enough to draw you out already, there is plenty more where that came from: a blacklight art installation by Woggon himself, live painting by E3rd resident artist (and Little Tokyo art darling), Emmeric Konrad, and everything necessary to create your own cocktail napkin art for selling, trade, or a take-home flashback souvenir.

Moral of the story?  Whichever is truly the Leader of the Pack, both guarantee to be a swingin’ good time.

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WHAT: Venus in Furs & Femme Fatale & Ode to the Lounge Lizard
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 26th 9pm-4am & Saturday, Feb. 27th, 8pm-2am
WHERE: Catalyst Artist Collective (LOFT) & E3rd Lounge
$$$: Haiti relief donation-$10, CASH ONLY

According to Berlin-native and house-producer, DJ KAOS, the answer is YES!  In a rare U.S. appearance this Saturday night at the Chase Loft Series-February Edition, the dj heavyweight promises to keep the crowd movin and groovin’ until the wee hours to his own version of Chicago-inspired house and disco beats.

Presented by The Chase, EVFA, and MEO, KAOS will be joined by rockin’ resident dj’s: JaseFromOuterSpace and Klassique at Junglerush, a hidden indoor/outdoor venue perfect for late-night dalliances or just a fun night out of the oh-so-predictable Hollywood scene. True to its downtown roots and promotional prowess, this event is one not to be missed.

Annd….that’s not all!  The recession-style OPEN BAR will keep the conversation flowing, not to mention your glass full for a mere $15 until 11pm and $20 thereafter.  I don’t know how much YOU typically spend on cocktails a night, but let me tell you, this is a STEAL in my drink-infused world.

Whether this inspires you late-nighters to at least consider making it in the door before the price increase or you still run a little late due to a last-minute addition to the perfect outfit, $5 more is a small price to pay for fun on the run, so I say let the rationalization takes its natural course. After all, the party will be poppin’ ‘til 3am and if Italians really do do it better, it will be well worth the wait.

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WHAT: Chase Loft Series-February Edition
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 20th, 10pm-3am
WHERE: Junglerush/EVFA, 542 S Alameda (Cross St. Palmetto)
$$: $15 before 11pm, $20 after with open bar, CASH ONLY

Let us face it, every bar in Los Angeles has a gimmick.  There are fancy whiskey bars, Vodka bars, tiki huts plucked from the tropics, and speakeasy upon speakeasy popping up on every corner of our fair city.  Oh I love them all, but sometimes it is nice to put all that theming aside, and head to a bar that is… just a bar.  Burbank’s The Snug, fits that bill.

The Snug is just one room, brick walls, a bar, and some booths.  A few TVs show sporting events but it is not a sports bar.  A modest but well picked draught beer includes, Chimay, Bass, Sam Adams, Boddingtons, Stella, Fat Tire, and Guinness; all poured properly at a cold temperature in the proper glass.  The bartenders are friendly and knowledgeable, and they even remember your name when it is time to settle up the tab.  They don’t serve food, but they have menus of some local places that are happy to deliver. 

There is one of those internet jukeboxes that can play any song that it can download, and it doesn’t blast your face off, so talking to the folks on the stools next to you is not a strain.  If you are looking to have a drink at reasonable prices, in place that makes getting that drink easy and talking with your friends a breeze; the Snug might just be worth the trek over the hill for a pint.

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WHAT: A bar that is a bar
WHEN: Daily till 2am
WHERE: The Snug
$: The perfect pint for $4.50

It’s getting close to that time of year again, duderinos.

No, I’m not talking about the long days of summer, I’m talking of course about Lebowski Fest, Southern California’s premiere celebration of All Things Dude Related.

This year’s fest takes place beginning on April 2^nd at The Wiltern for The Big Lebowski Movie Party. The festival continues through the 3^rd for a day of bowling at Cal Bowl.

So grab your white Russian and share your favorite quotes and more with other fans of the movie… but this isn’t Vietnam – there are rules. Tickets are a must, and they’re available online via Ticketmaster. Though you can get a 2-Day Achievers Pass, you also have the option of picking up tickets for the individual day events as well. You should probably get yours in advance, unless you want to be the only one polishing your bowling shoes outside of the lanes.

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WHAT: Lebowski Fest
WHEN: Friday April 2^nd // Saturday, April 3rd
WHERE: The Wiltern // Cal Bowl
$$$: $19.99 // $25.00 // $39.99 for a weekend pass. Tickets available here.

Every Friday and Saturday CC Beans, a cute little coffee shop downtown, hosts free music in the “BackRoom Gallery”. This Friday and Saturday is SOUNDING OFF, presented by dramastage-qumran…Friday features Ron Allen and Saturday features Sarah Cruse. There will also be an open mic section so if you’re feeling talented, you can join in! It’s a laid back place, and I’m sure it will feel more like a jam session than a serious show, which makes it even better! The best part is that while you enjoy the free shows, you can sip on some really great coffee and it’s so good you’ll want to start buying your beans from their personal collection. This is the sort of place that needs community support! It may not be in the most ideal place, but the owners are trying to add a little something to the downtown area that, although has cleaned up a lot, is still lacking in certain areas. So come out this weekend and support CC Beans!

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WHAT: CC Beans Live Music
WHEN: Weekend Nights, starting Friday, February 19th
WHERE: CC Beans
$$$: Free

Fat Tuesday is just around the bend, and with no special festivities in Los Angeles to speak of, now is as good a time as any to pull up a stool at Piano Bar.  As far as I know they make no claim to be a New Orleans bar, but it certainly does have a NOLA feel to it.  Darkly lit by faux gas lamps, with low ceilings, and nightly live music; enough to make me crave jazz music and a muffaletta sandwich.

Friendly good looking bartenders, keep well balanced mixed drinks, and a small selection of beer on tap coming, all for typical LA prices.  A courtyard next to the piano offers smokers both stools and a classy safe haven for their exile (non-smokers even venture out to enjoy the night air).  It can get a little loud inside with a crowd and live music, but the lively feel will keep you smiling.

Happy hour is offered every evening, and live music is served up nightly around 10pm.  A night at Piano bar cozied up near the piano, with a stiff drink and a good friend, might be just what the Mardi Gras King ordered.

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WHAT: New Orleans feel, Cahuenga Corridor location
WHEN: Nightly until 2am
WHERE: Piano Bar
$$: Around $8 for a mixed drink.

More Valentine’s festivities coming ‘atcha: first up, David Lynch’s Wild at Heart screening at the Downtown Independent at 10:30pm on the 14th for $10 or $25 for two tickets and two beers! Next, the 3rd Annual Lovers and Strangers Valentine’s Art and Music Festival at the Echoplex, presented by the Hear Gallery, Solid Gold, and Everyday. Four bands will perform, lots of DJs, artists, catering by Bold Tacos, photobooths, and live documentary filming. Takes place the 13th at 8pm, 18+, $8 before 10pm, $10 after. Finally, City Sip LA (that tiny wine bar on Sunset in Echo Park known as “wine for the people”) is hosting a beer tasting on V-day featuring 8 beers, cheese, and chocolate for $35 per person. Shouldn’t be too hard to get laid with that combination. 4:30pm-6:00pm. Enjoy the so-called holiday.

*this is by no means an all inclusive roundup

WHAT: ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day
WHEN: Feb. 13th-14th
WHERE: the Downtown Independent, CitySip LA, the Echoplex
$$$: $8-$35

On a recent trip to Hollywood I ducked into Dillon’s for a beer and a quick bite.  A sign outside proclaimed “$3 beers.”  How could it miss?  The place is decked out in dark wood, in just the way you would expect and “Irish Pub” to be, but somehow with the high ceilings and flat screen TVs it felt oddly cold and corporate.  Maybe the all female waitstaff in short skirts and knee high socks is the draw here? 

I tried the Avocado Fries and the Slider Sampler.  The Avocado Fries are just what they sound like, slices of avocado breaded and deep fried.  They were okay, but ultimately not as good as regular old potato fries.  The Slider Sampler was 4 sliders: a mundane pulled pork slider, a dry salmon slider, a Kobe beef slider that tasted like a frozen ground beef patty, and an inedible turkey slider.

Dillon’s Irish Pub may be a fine place for a cheap pint before catching a play at the Pantages, but in a town full of bars serving more unique beers, places with many more beers on tap and other spots to watch sports while eating delicious food, it is hard to recommend you head to Hollywood just for Dillon’s.

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WHAT: Cheap beer at Hollywood & Vine
WHERE: Dillon’s Irish Pub & Grill
$$: Every draught beer $3

You know that bar we wrote about before in Silverlake, owned by the guy who brought us all the lovely Bigfoot Lodge? It’s called Stinkers, and if you haven’t heard of it, it’s closing, so you missed your chance to check it out. Personally, I thought the backends of skunks hung on the wall, spraying the crowd with a foggy mist was kind of funny, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the whole trucker theme. Skunks + truckers. I don’t get it. Well, it doesn’t matter anymore, because it’s all up for auction on February 9th! Maybe you will be one of the lucky few to get your hands on a skunk butt, or a skunk painting. There are plenty of cool trucker gadgets like a real working radio and a 1970s Trans Am hood. The official closing party is also happening in a few weeks, so make sure to send them off right with lots of drinking and smelly skunks. Maybe you’ll be able to show off your cool new stuffed skunk drinking a Colt 45? If you’re sad the bar is closing down, don’t be! The owner says it will only be shut down for two weeks while they revamp the place with a new theme! Jersey Shore, anyone?
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WHAT: Stinkers Closing Party & Auction
WHEN: Tuesday, February 9th & Monday, February 15th
WHERE: Stinkers
$$$: up to you

Probably the most well-known food critic, Jonathon Gold of LA Weekly, is hosting his magical Food & Wine event at the end of February. The Los Angeles Gold Standard 2010 is your one-stop shop for 40 of the most delicious LA restaurants. Included with the $60 entry fee you get to taste food from restaurants like Mozza, Jitlada, Angeli, Ludobites, Hungry Cat, Ciudad. Even low key places like Wurstkuche, Let’s Be Frank, and Kogi will be there. On top of that the wine, beer, and spirits are included. It’s not about focusing on LA’s fanciest restaurants, it’s all about the quality! With the VIP entry, you gain entry to the venue an hour before the rest of the crowd and get to leave with a special gift bag while supplies last. It’s going to be crowded but I’m assuming the venue is bigger than last year and they’ve reorganized it so less people complain and more people will be able to focus solely on the eating. Not only will you eat very well, you can meet some of your favorite chefs. Everyone in the foodie world is sure to be there, so get your tickets while they’re still available and prepare your stomach for an intense day of eating!
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WHAT: LA Gold Standard 2010
WHEN: Sunday, February 28th @ 12pm-5pm
WHERE: Peterson Automotive Museum
$$$: $60/VIP $80

(Stolen directly from their facebook event here.)

1. Your facebook relationship status says “It’s complicated”, “In an open relationship”
2. You’re attached but “not attached”
3. You’re just “hanging out”
4. You’re free!–free at last!!
5. You’re not looking for anything serious
6. Want to bring your booty call friend out to do other activities for a change
7. You want to bring your “lover” instead of your significant other
8. You want to hang out with your frienemies & BFF
9. You have a +1 ( whoever that +1 is)
10. Just because…the food & beer pairings is damn good

Buy tickets here for Frysmith’s Valentine’s Day Supper with beer pairing at The Verdugo Bar. On the menu is butternut squash soup with habanero and chickpea, seared scallop with Spanish chorizo, lemon jam and apple “fries”, duck legs braised in Cognac Ume tomato sauce, with collard greens and fries, and a trio of mousse cakes. Ummm…. kinda sounds incredible. And all for a presale price of $23.
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WHAT: Valentine’s Day Supper with Frysmith
WHEN: February 14th, 7:30PM
WHERE: Verdugo Bar
$$$: $23 presale, $28 at the door

If you’ve got a little extra cash to spend this weekend, a great option would be Silverlake Wine’s tasting on Sunday, featuring Mozza2Go as a food pairing..yum! Labeled as “the most structured” of the tastings, you’ll sample four featured wines plus one aperitif, each paired with an hors d’oeuvre that compliments the wine and/or represents its region (in this case Mozza! can you tell I love Mozza?)  Expect Italian wines (duh) and hopefully pizza, pizza, pizza. Reservations are a must- 323 622 9024.

WHAT: Silverlake Wine Tasting featuring Mozza2Go
WHEN: Sunday 3pm
WHERE: Silverlake Wine, 2395 Glendale Blvd
$$$: 20